Tropical Storm Irene is headed for the Outher Banks, ETA Tuesday. Thinking of the possibility it might go up the Cheseapeake BAy, what kind of preps should I make with my boat, short of putting it on the hard? Dock lines, etc.
Storm Preparations
- Thread starter Broke sailor SV Marcell
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Depends - when Isbel
came up the bay it caused a huge tidal surge. We had pulled over at Cobb Island and the water was five feet above the dock. If it comes, strip all canvas and sails off the boat, less windage. If you stay in the water and you think you have a good dock. Triple your dock lines but not tight. You will need to allow for the rise in water. Or find a hurricane hole to move your boat to. Two to three anchors with lots of rode. I'm guessing here, I've not had to do an anchor out just read what is reasonable. There are others on this site who could help better. Jim S/V Java
came up the bay it caused a huge tidal surge. We had pulled over at Cobb Island and the water was five feet above the dock. If it comes, strip all canvas and sails off the boat, less windage. If you stay in the water and you think you have a good dock. Triple your dock lines but not tight. You will need to allow for the rise in water. Or find a hurricane hole to move your boat to. Two to three anchors with lots of rode. I'm guessing here, I've not had to do an anchor out just read what is reasonable. There are others on this site who could help better. Jim S/V Java
Second the hurricane hole approach
Preparing for Isabel, our marina encouraged (no required)every boat to leave and to anchor out in a hurricane hole, like a protected cove or creek. For those that did not respond, the marina towed or drove the boats out to a protected area and set one or two anchors. Because of the high storm surge, the docks of the marina were under 4-5 feet of water. In spite of the objections of some of the boat owners, few if any of them suffered any appreciable damage. (This was unlike a number of marinas on the bay where docks were washed away, boat hulls were holed on pilings, and damage from broken away boats, some of whose owners never showed up to harden their dock lines, etc.) On our boat (O35) we removed all sails and canvas, took the boat up a creek, place two anchors at about 45 degrees and plenty of rode for possible storm surge(recognizing that if the hurricane passes over the area, the front of the storm will have winds blowing in one direction and the back of the storm in the opposite direction.) We left the boat and used the dinghy to go ashore. Critical to anchoring is the minimization of chafe on the rodes. Boat U.S. had a good write-up on hurricane prep back then, and I suspect their site still has some useful info. Hope this helps. Ed Ryan
Preparing for Isabel, our marina encouraged (no required)every boat to leave and to anchor out in a hurricane hole, like a protected cove or creek. For those that did not respond, the marina towed or drove the boats out to a protected area and set one or two anchors. Because of the high storm surge, the docks of the marina were under 4-5 feet of water. In spite of the objections of some of the boat owners, few if any of them suffered any appreciable damage. (This was unlike a number of marinas on the bay where docks were washed away, boat hulls were holed on pilings, and damage from broken away boats, some of whose owners never showed up to harden their dock lines, etc.) On our boat (O35) we removed all sails and canvas, took the boat up a creek, place two anchors at about 45 degrees and plenty of rode for possible storm surge(recognizing that if the hurricane passes over the area, the front of the storm will have winds blowing in one direction and the back of the storm in the opposite direction.) We left the boat and used the dinghy to go ashore. Critical to anchoring is the minimization of chafe on the rodes. Boat U.S. had a good write-up on hurricane prep back then, and I suspect their site still has some useful info. Hope this helps. Ed Ryan
We have lived it in Florida!
The insurance people are going to go after me again, but the best place for a boat in a storm, any storm, is in the water. Find a secluded canal, stream or deep harbor, strip the boat of anything that can cause wind drag, set two anchors aft, and two anchors forward with long scopes. 15 to 1 if you have the room. Make sure your anchors have at least 6, but preferably 10 ft of good heavy duty galvanized or stainless chain rode. Depending on how far inland you can get, have enough slack in the rodes that the boat can rise 10 feet or more from the surge. Make sure that the rodes have chaffe protection. Make sure all of your drain holes are open, but plug the sink and toilet thru-hulls if you can from the outside. In heavy weather the lines sometimes come off inside which can cause lots of water damage. The hurricanes do not normally last a long time, but in a very short time, your boat is going to go through hell, first from one direction, then the other. Although it probably will make little difference, try to position the boat so that it heads into the strongest wind. The north west side of the hurricanes in the northern hemosphere tends to have the strongest winds. Not always, but generally. We have been in Florida since 1984. We went through Andrew, which was the worst by far. Then two "no name" storms that cause tremendous water damage. Last year we lucked out. All of the four storms that hit Florida went just a little north of us. My boats have always stayed in the water, anchored about 15 feet from my dock in a canal about 4 miles from the Intercoastal. The tidal surge during one of those "no name" storms was 8 ft in addition to the high tide, at my house. The dock was 2 ft under water, and the water had reached the first terrace around my house. G_D speed! Take care, and take precautions! Paul
The insurance people are going to go after me again, but the best place for a boat in a storm, any storm, is in the water. Find a secluded canal, stream or deep harbor, strip the boat of anything that can cause wind drag, set two anchors aft, and two anchors forward with long scopes. 15 to 1 if you have the room. Make sure your anchors have at least 6, but preferably 10 ft of good heavy duty galvanized or stainless chain rode. Depending on how far inland you can get, have enough slack in the rodes that the boat can rise 10 feet or more from the surge. Make sure that the rodes have chaffe protection. Make sure all of your drain holes are open, but plug the sink and toilet thru-hulls if you can from the outside. In heavy weather the lines sometimes come off inside which can cause lots of water damage. The hurricanes do not normally last a long time, but in a very short time, your boat is going to go through hell, first from one direction, then the other. Although it probably will make little difference, try to position the boat so that it heads into the strongest wind. The north west side of the hurricanes in the northern hemosphere tends to have the strongest winds. Not always, but generally. We have been in Florida since 1984. We went through Andrew, which was the worst by far. Then two "no name" storms that cause tremendous water damage. Last year we lucked out. All of the four storms that hit Florida went just a little north of us. My boats have always stayed in the water, anchored about 15 feet from my dock in a canal about 4 miles from the Intercoastal. The tidal surge during one of those "no name" storms was 8 ft in addition to the high tide, at my house. The dock was 2 ft under water, and the water had reached the first terrace around my house. G_D speed! Take care, and take precautions! Paul
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